Anti-Tobacco Poster Contest Winners Announced

The Society’s 11th annual anti-tobacco poster contest drew more than 5,400 entries from primary-school children across the Commonwealth. Asked to create an original poster on a theme established for their grade level, first and second graders illustrated “Tobacco is bad for your body.” Third and fourth graders tackled “Tobacco affects other people,” and fifth and sixth graders worked on “Why I won’t start smoking.”

One of the winning entries in the 11th annual anti-tobacco poster contest

Judges from the Alliance and MMS committees critiqued the entries for originality, artistic merit, and relevance to the theme.

The winners are as follows:

Grades 1 and 2

• Monica Maziarz, Seekonk
• Shaylyn Murphy, Reading
• Abigail Fargo, Weymouth
• Estelle Penta, Lowell

Grades 3 and 4

• Kayla Walazek, Waltham
• Samatha Phillips, Taunton
• Jennifer Nee, Beverly
• Igor Queiroz, Worcester

Grades 5 and 6

• Victoria Lewandowski, Natick
• Melissa Medina, Lawrence
• Rebecca Powers, Belmont
• Alex Kelly, Longmeadow

The winning artists were recognized at a State House award ceremony on June 20.

“It is heartening to see the anti-tobacco programs reinforced in the schools,” noted Nancy Ghareeb, secretary-treasurer of the Alliance and long-time judge of the annual contest. “The children and their families truly appreciate the recognition received for their accomplishments.”

The winning posters will be compiled into a 2007 calendar, which will be distributed this November to coincide with the Great American Smoke-Out.

– Christine Connare